Each year, we open our doors at the beginning of December to bring you – the lovely people of Edinburgh – the finest homegrown Scottish Christmas trees.

You might already know that for every real Christmas that’s sold, we are giving £5 to help support the wonderful Maggie’s Cancer Care Centre in Edinburgh. They provide valuable care for anyone who has been touched by this disease with a pioneering model of practical, emotional and social support.

But what you might not know is that, aside from filling your home with Christmas cheer, your real Christmas tree has an amazing life all of its own. Want to know where your tree came from? This month, we take a closer look at the secret life of a real Scottish Christmas tree.

The Lifecycle of a Real Christmas Tree

1. Planting

First of all, we need to take a seed from the cone of a mature tree then plant it in well drained, loamy (sandy) soil. Lucky for us, we have plenty of fertile soil here that makes our Scottish Christmas trees some of the best in the world! These seeds grow into seedlings which are sown a good distance apart to make sure each tree has enough room to grow. Proper spacing of seedlings is crucial to ensure adequate airflow and to help prevent disease.

2. Growing Season

Did you know that the average real Christmas tree has 6 – 10 years of growing to do before it takes pride of place in your home? Our Nordmann Firs can reach heights of up to 7ft tall – and that doesn’t happen overnight!

3. Shaping Young Trees

Seedlings need a helping hand in their first year and are watered once a week. Over the next few years, the trees are carefully shaped and pruned to help them keep their classic, Christmas tree shape.

4. Harvest and Tree Care

Once our Scottish Christmas trees reach maturity (around 7ft for our Nordmann Fir Christmas trees) they are harvested, usually in November, then placed in water right away to make sure this first cut doesn’t dry up. To prevent your Christmas tree drying out, we recommend placing it in its own pot, away from any direct heat sources and water regularly. You can find more tips on Christmas tree care in our previous post, ‘How to Look After Your Real Christmas Tree’.

5. Christmas Tree Disposal

Did you know, that you can actually replant your Christmas tree in your garden to be used next year? Real Christmas trees are fabulously resilient! But if your tree is looking a little worse for wear come boxing day, there are lots of environmentally friendly ways to dispose of your Christmas tree. Check with your local charities who may offer Christmas tree collection in exchange for a donation, ask your local council if they will uplift or look for natural conservation projects which may use Christmas trees in your area.

Looking for real Scottish Christmas trees in Edinburgh? £5 from each Christmas tree goes to supporting our local Maggie’s Centre in Edinburgh. Our trees can be reserved online from December 2017. Can’t wait that long? Join in our Christmas countdown on Facebook!

Excellent quality tree, fantastic service and a fast delivery service.
Will def use these guys again next year! 😊

Emily, Edinburgh

I meant to write earlier and thank you for providing a beautiful christmas tree. Normally by the time Hogmanay arrives our tree is resembling a twig, but this year our christmas tree lasted beautifully well into the New Year. Even when we were taking the tree down it hardly shed a needle. I shall definitely be back next year.

Sandy from Edinburgh

I purchased a 7 foot tree a week ago and it was delivered about an hour later! I also purchased a container which is easy to fill with water. It looks great and your delivery men put it in situ and even watered it for me. However the proof of the quality of the tree will be on the 6 January to see if it still looks as good when all the festivities are over and the tree comes down.